Cigarette-case



(lNo Model.)

\ Ji BERTHEL.

CIGARETTE (mss.

PatentedrAjllg@ 28, 1888.

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i UNITED STATES 4PATENT. OFFTCE.

JULES BERTHEL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CIGARETTE-CASE.

SPECIFICATIONVforming part of Letters Patent No. 388,617l datedAugust 28, 1888.

Application filed March 1, 1888. Serial No. 265,811. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JULES, BERTHEL, a citiaeu of the United States, residing at Louisville, 1n the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Cigarette-Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of boxes which are adapted to be carried in the pocket as receptacles-such as cigarette-eases, cardcases, match boxes, tobacco boxes, cigar cases,housewives, porte-monnaies, Ste-and its object is to provide a box of neat form which may be easily closed with one hand, and when so closed holds itself securely, and which may be sprung wide open, both at one end and at one or more sides, by a single move of the hand.

While my invention is applicable to nearly all styles of boxes suitable to be carried in the pocket, and to many styles of boxes not so carried, I shall herein describe it with reference to a cigarettecase.

Tothis end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts forming a pocket-box or cigarette-ease, hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a front elevation of a cigarettecase according to my invention. Fig. II is a vertical section of the same at the line X X, Fig. I, showing also enlarged details at the line Z. Fig. III is an interior view of the same wide open. Fig IV is a transverse section at the line Y Y, Fig. I, showing also enlarged details on the line V, Fig. III. Fig. Vis a plan view of a retainingstrap. Figs. VI and VII represent modifications of the end fastenings for the strap. Fig. VIII is a transverse section of a modiiication of the cigarette-case.

Number 1.0 represents the back and Il. the frontportion of the cigarette caseorbox,hinged together at 12, to swing open along the central plane of the thickness ofthe box. The hinge 12 is provided with any suitable spring, 13, to open the two sides of the box when they are unfastened and to hold the box spread wide open to expose its contents.

14 is the end cap or lid of the box, hinged at 15 to the back 10, and provided with any suitable spring, 16, to throw the lid open.

17 is a bead formed in the sheet metal entirely around the box near the upper edge of its body to stiften it, and to serve as a conceali ment for the hinge 15 on the one part, and to Serve as a point of engagement on the other part with a lip, 18, which projects from the lid le, and which is shaped with a bend corresponding to the curve of the bead 17, for the purpose of passing over the bead to serve as a catch or retainer to hold the lid closed, the box sides springing inward to allow said passage. The extreme upper edge, 19, of the boxbody projects a little above the bead 17, and is entirely surrounded by the lid when closed.

Thus the two parts of the body are held closed when the lid is closed thereon.

20 represents a knob formed in the metal of the front 1I of the box below the catch I8 to represent a thumb-spring; but it is integral with Ithe front and servos only as a dummy to challenge pressure by the operator. Pressure upon or in the region of the knob 20 springs in the whole front of the box and disengages the bead 17 from the catch 18, thereby freeing the lid, so that it will spring open. Then on opening the hand the boX-bodyopens thereinby the action of spring 13, as shown in Fig. III, and in dotted lines in Fig. lI. By shutting the thumb and fingers upon the box the body thereof is closed. Then a movement of the thumb or a finger over the lid will shut it and fasten the box. Thus the box may be instantly spread wide open and afterward be quickly closed by the action of the hand which holds it.`

Fig. VIII shows a modification of my box in which the body is parted at two lilies, 21, down the front, and the two edge pieces, `22 and 23, are hinged to the edges of the back and prog` vided with springs like the spring 13, whereby they are thrown open when set free by thelid rising, and they are held in position by the lid in the same manner as the front 11.

For the various purposes to which this box may be adapted it may be variously parted and hinged together in the body, provided the various parts are adapted to be held closed by a lid hinged to one of the parts of the body and adapted to surround an edge of the boxroo body comprising a portion of each hinged division thereof.

As a means of maintaining the two thin edges of each portion of the box in line with the opposite edges, I form lips 21 on part 11, with angles or ledges to engage the inner edge of part l0, and alternate lips, 25, With ledges on the part 10 to engage the inner edge of part 11. I further make use of these lips as points of attachment in the one side for the elastic strap 26 and as a retaining-liange in the other side for the mirror 27. It is evident that many things convenient to be carried upon the person'might be substituted for this mirror and be held in a similar manner. The space might, for instance, be devoted to a card-receptacle or a matchbox.

The lid may be iitted with stalls or otherwise adapted as a receptacle for anything suitable to be so carried, and the side portions, 22 and 23, Fig. 8, may be shaped and adapted for any appropriate purpose.

In order to readily secure the elastic strap 26, I secure metallic heads or clips 28 upon its ends, and I make Tshaped openings in cerv tain of the lips 24, whereby the band may be held across over the cigarettes, pressing on them a little to keep them in place. The bandbody is entered edgewise into the T-shaped openings and allowed to draw its heads up uuderneath the lips by its elasticity. To retain the lower end of the mirror 27, or to retain cards similarly situated from bearing ou the rounded lower corners of the box, I form shelves 29 by bending the lower edges of the lower lips 25 backward. The great variety of purposes to which the peculiar construction described adapts this box need not be enumerated. Its neatness,compactness, convenience, and cheapness recommend it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is the followingl. The combination, in a box, of a body parted down its side edges and acrossl itslower end and hinged together at its lower end, and a lid hinged to the upper end of one of the parts and provided with a springcatch to engage the other part and fitted to close entirely around the upper ends of both parts, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, in a box made of sheet metal, of a body parted down its sides and the parts hinged together, each of the parts being provided with inward-projecting lips along its edges, the said lips being shaped with angles or ledges to engage the inner corner of the opposite edges ofthe box, and the lips upon one part of the box alternating along the line of juncture with the lips of the opposite part, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, in a box made of sheet metal,- ef a body parted down its sides and the parts hinged together, each of the parts being provided with inward projectinglips alengits edges formed with ledges, as described, certain ofthe said lips extending still farther inward beyond the ledges and pnnctured with T-shaped openings, and an elastic strap prol vided with metallic heads adapted to engage the said lips at the Tshaped openings, snbstantially as shown and described.

4. Tile combination, in a box made of sheet metal, of a body parted down its sides and the parts hinged together, each ot' the parts being provided with inward-proieetiug lips along its edges, formed with ledges, as described, and the lower lips bent backward,'forming shelves, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

JULES BERTHEL.

XVitnesses:

M. I). CALLAN, XV. X. S'rEvENs. 

